Newsbriefs

The Washington State Patrol reported a two-car accident with injuries Saturday about one mile north of Coulee City. A car driven by Janet Pate of Coulee City was struck by a vehicle driven by Richard Wood of Moses Lake. Wood and a passenger, Janet Wood, were taken to Coulee Medical Center, as was Pate. Both vehicles were totaled. Wood was charged with driving too fast for conditions, which was listed as a cause along with inattention.

The WSP found that Pate had slowed her northbound 1993 Mercury Sable for a vehicle on the shoulder when Wood struck it from behind.

Want to learn

to use your

telescope?

The National Park Service will offer an event “for those who want to learn more about astronomy and using telescopes” next Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Spring Canyon day-use area. There will also be astronomy events the following Friday and Saturday.

You can join local astronomers and National Park Service “Sky Rangers” for an evening of learning and exploration. Bring your own telescopes, spotting scopes and binoculars if you have them, and chairs or blankets to lie on so you can look up, suggests Janice Elvidge, education specialist with the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

Know anything about a bomb?

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is looking for tips about a homemade bomb placed in a Soap Lake driveway July 19.

Reported at a residence near the 200 block of Moses Lake Avenue (Lakeview area) of Soap Lake, a metal can containing a suspicious “varnish-like” liquid, was placed in a resident’s driveway with a tube of lipstick on top, the sheriff’s office said.

The Richland Bomb Squad was called in for assessment and the device was then destroyed.

There are no suspects, and it is not known if the device would have gone off.

“Regardless of intent with this device, we take all reports like this very seriously,” Sheriff Tom Jones said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 509-762-1160, or send information to crimetips@grantcountywa.gov. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

More West Nile in Grant County

Grant County Health District has been notified of multiple West Nile Virus (WNV) positive mosquito samples collected by Grant County Mosquito Control District 1 around Moses Lake. There have been 42 positive mosquito samples collected this season in Grant County, compared to 34 during the 2014 mosquito season.

The virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.

“It is important all people living, working and playing in Grant County protect themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes,” the Health District said in a release Monday.